1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to isolation chambers. More specifically, the present invention relates to floatation tanks.
2. Description of the Related Art
An isolation chamber, or floatation tank, is a dark, soundproofed enclosure containing a layer of salt water upon which a user floats. The chamber is typically designed to isolate the user from external stimuli such as light, sound, and, in particular, gravity. Epson salt is usually added to the water in the isolation tank to increase the density of the solution such that the user floats comfortably near the surface with the face above the water. The buoyancy created by this salt solution effectively eliminates the body's specific gravity, bringing the floater close to an experience of total weightlessness.
Isolation chambers are currently used primarily for relaxation or meditation purposes. However, floatation has the potential for more advanced applications. The sensory deprivation experienced during floating liberates the user's mind and body from many tasks that are typically performed continuously everyday such as processing sensory information and dealing with gravity. These liberated resources could then potentially be redirected for use in other activities such as learning or healing.
Conventional isolation chambers, however, are not equipped for promoting such activities and have no system for delivering information to the user. Isolation chambers typically do not include any audio/visual systems since they are designed to remove all external stimuli. Furthermore, a conventional audio system would sound “muddy” due to sound waves traveling through water (the user's ears are typically underwater while floating), and a conventional visual display would illuminate the chamber, eliminating the sensory deprivation effect desired in an isolation chamber.
Hence, a need exists in the art for an improved isolation chamber for redirecting a user's liberated resources to promote learning or healing.